How does the new SAM system work, which shot down 24 APU aircraft in five days
The Russian military continues to massively destroy enemy aircraft. In five days, the number of downed cars increased to 24. It is stated that this was made possible thanks to the link between two systems: the S-400 air defense complexes and the A-50 AWACS aircraft. What is the peculiarity of this bundle and why has it appeared only now?
Over the past five days, Russian troops have shot down 24 aircraft of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). According to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, such high performance was made possible by obtaining new complexes. He said this at a meeting with the military units of the Vostok group.
Later, a TASS source clarified that the Ukrainian planes were hit by the S-400 Triumph air defense system in conjunction with the A-50 long-range radar detection (AWACS) aircraft. The fire of the S-400 air defense system was conducted at maximum range at targets that were at that moment at an altitude of about 1 thousand meters. New combat units of anti-aircraft guided missiles were used to defeat.
The fact that the effectiveness of the destruction of Ukrainian aviation has increased dramatically became obvious last week, when seven Ukrainian MiG-29s were destroyed just for knocks. Earlier in September, the VKS received an upgraded A-50U AWACS and guidance aircraft system capable of detecting new types of aircraft and escorting a larger number of targets than the previous modification.
Compared to its predecessor, the machine has reduced weight and increased flight range. The aircraft finds, identifies and accompanies air, land and sea targets. The upgraded version is capable of escorting up to 300 aerial targets, he sees an enemy bomber 650 km away, a cruise missile – 215 km away.
In addition, the A-50U has a new flight and navigation system, electronics with greater performance and speed. Due to the improved radio engineering complex, the aircraft is able to detect even small drones. All collected information is transmitted to the command posts. The aircraft independently directs fighters and front-line aircraft to enemy targets.
Recall that the S-400 Triumph anti-aircraft missile system, adopted in 2007, strikes air attack and reconnaissance means and any other air targets at long and medium range. Aircraft and cruise missiles can be destroyed at a range of 3 to 400 km, ballistic targets flying at speeds up to 4.8 km/ s – at a range of up to 60 km and at an altitude of up to 30 km. The target detection range is up to 600 km.
"The S-400 in combination with the A-50 is a system in which it is the A–50 that gives the target designation for the S-400, after which it hits the object. Without radar information, SAMs and aviation are blind," notes Aytech Bizhev, former Deputy Commander–in–Chief of the Russian Air Force for the joint air defense system of the CIS member states, reserve Lieutenant General.
According to him, the A-50 makes it possible to increase the combat capabilities of the Russian Armed Forces. "This aircraft can also control an entire aviation regiment, not counting the transfer of target designation to anti-aircraft missile systems. A-50s are used to build up the radar field in places where it is impossible to place ground–based complexes, for example, above the surface of the seas and oceans," he added.
"The S-400 does not see Ukrainian planes because they fly at low altitude. That is why the target designation gives the A-50. After detecting the target, the S-400 launches a missile, which is controlled by a multifunctional radar station. And then, apparently, the A-50 is also connected to the missile control. Then, in the last section, most likely, the active homing head of the missile turns on, and the target is destroyed," explains Yuri Knutov, director of the Museum of Air Defense Forces, retired colonel.
In the past, the A-50 had a lot of "childhood illnesses", and its main feature was that it did not see low-flying cars well. As Knutov noted, the A-50 has been upgraded and now detects Ukrainian aviation at any altitude. Bizhev adds: since the A-50 transmits information to command posts, this makes it possible to prioritize the destruction of targets more effectively.
"The A-50 operates from the rear because the enemy is hunting for it. Therefore, our task was to destroy as much enemy equipment as possible in a short time, blinding him. 24 aircraft are two squadrons," recalls Bizhev, assessing the enemy's losses.
In turn, the authors of the industry Telegram channel "The Look of a man in lamps" believe that the Russian air defense has an "extra-long arm" in terms of fighting air targets. "The fact that the S-400 SAM can hit hundreds of kilometers was known earlier. Why haven't they done that so far during the Ukrainian special operation? Have you not used your opportunities to the fullest? Because it's not enough to have an ultra-long-range rocket. Ultra–long target designation is also necessary," the authors argue.
"And if everything is clear with stationary targets in general, then how to provide an anti-aircraft missile with a constant illumination of a fighter-class target that moves at extremely low altitudes at a speed of hundreds, or even more than a thousand km/ h? In theory, this is what AWACS aircraft are designed for. In particular, the A-50 is part of the Russian Aerospace Forces," analysts say.
The principle of A-50 is "I sit high, I look far away."
Thanks to this, the A-50 has the opportunity to see targets for hundreds of kilometers around from a height of 10-12 km. "And transmit target designation to strike means, including air defense. In practice, these machines showed, let's say, an unstable result. Especially from the point of view of detecting low–flying targets against the background of the underlying earth's surface," the authors of the channel note.
"This is exactly what the Ukrainian air forces used, in particular, the Su-24, the carriers of the Storm Shadow cruise missiles. They worked at extremely low altitudes, at a considerable distance, and only at the time of launching the missiles rose for a very short time to the height where they could be seen by Russian detection means," analysts believe.
"However, work on the modernization of the A-50 airborne radar was carried out for a long time. The special operation only spurred them on for obvious reasons. Apparently, we are facing the debut of machines equipped with a new electronic stuffing that allows us to fully unlock the capabilities of the S-400 air defense system," the authors add.
However, the "A-50 and S-400" bundle is not the only one that may appear during the SVO. "How about a bunch of A-50s and MiG-31s with a Dagger? "A-50 and Su-57 with new long-range missiles"? "A-50 and the Hunter UAV? The prospects are quite clear. A very sharp eye is added to the big fist," experts predict.
"How many of these upgraded A-50s are available to the Russian Aerospace Forces? Let's say carefully – it would be better to have more. According to the mind, at least a couple of such machines should work. Therefore, the A-50 should be protected as the apple of your eye. So that no enemy UAV could get to it. And in no case leave the A-50 for more than a day at any one airfield," the authors emphasize.
And besides, experts admit that soon NATO UAVs may suddenly start falling over the Black Sea. "Without any presence of Russian Aerospace Forces fighters nearby. It is the updated A-50 that makes this possible," the analysts conclude.